Ozzy Osbourne has stated that Black Sabbath will never be on stage again. For those who haven't seen them on other occasions or haven't been able to get tickets for Back to the Beginning, the farewell show taking place on July 5th in Birmingham, England, they certainly won't have another chance to see the original Black Sabbath live.
Classic Rock magazine , released on May 23rd, features a special on this farewell, including a call to action for "The Farewell Interview." As Ozzy Osbourne stated, this will be the last chance to see the classic, original lineup perform live:
“It’s very important. The original Sabbath will never be on stage together again. Since the late 60s, we’re probably one of the only bands whose original members are still alive and communicating,” says the vocalist.
The farewell of farewells
As Metal Sucks , in the history of heavy metal music especially, when a band says they've finished touring, most of the time it's not 100% true. In previous years, Black Sabbath themselves announced a farewell tour in 1999 and, even more recently, their The End Tour in 2016-2017.
So, it's fair for fans to take this information with a grain of salt. Although, this time, it really seems to be the final show. This is because the advanced age of the members and, especially, Ozzy's state of health in recent years is one of the biggest obstacles to a new reunion of the original lineup beyond July 2025.
Even with his Parkinson's diagnosis and limited mobility , the vocalist has been preparing extensively. He has been periodically posting updates about his workout routine in preparation for this special show.
Farewell to Black Sabbath for a good cause.
In an interview with Classic Rock, Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi admits he was reluctant to do another Sabbath show seven years after The End tour: “I had already closed the door on that,” he says. “I thought [The End tour] would be the end.”
Iommi was convinced to do this because the profits would go to three charities: Cure Parkinson's, Birmingham Children's Hospital, and Acorn Children's Hospice. Also, the presence of Bill Ward , whose place was taken by drummer Tommy Clufetos on the last two Sabbath tours. “It wouldn’t make sense [to do it without Ward],” says Iommi. “Because it’s the original lineup, it makes everything more formal. So, no, I wouldn’t have done it without the original lineup.” (transcription via Loud Sound ).
Much criticized for not having the agility and firmness on the drumsticks as in previous years, Ward himself, in an interview with Classic Rock, said he was very happy to reunite with his former bandmates. "My job is to play with fervor," he says. "That's what I do. Without belittling the others, but I am the drummer for Black Sabbath. I always have been and always will be," the musician affirms.
The Back to the Beginning
Since it was announced and with each band revealed in the lineup, the anticipation has been huge, even for those who won't be there to witness history. The Back To The Beginning is headlined by Ozzy, who will play a short set before joining his Sabbath bandmates Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward for a short solo set.
This will be the first time the original lineup has played together in almost 20 years. Ward backed out of a reunion in 2012 after a contract dispute. The show also features Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Tool, Slayer, Alice In Chains, Pantera, Gojira, Halestorm, Lamb of God, Anthrax, Mastodon, and Rival Sons among the main guests, with several other acts already confirmed.
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